The common-wealths-man unmasqu'd, or, A just rebuke to the author of The account of Denmark in two parts.

THE Consolations of the CROSS: OR THE Two Grand PILLARS OF MAN'S SECURITY In this WORLD, &c.

THE Reader will easily dis∣cern from what has been said, that some Men who enjoy the Benefit of the Sun, as well as those that are pent up in Dark Rooms, can Fancy themselves to be as great as Popes and Emper∣ours:

And I can further assure him, that this unhappy Brother and Traveller here before us, who seems to swell, and look big among the living, has been a long time Dead in a True Philosophical Sense, although he may still make a mighty Figure in the Mundus Ple∣bejorum.

Now 'twas eagerly maintain'd by some of the Philosophical Sa∣ges heretofore, That the Ani∣mal Life, which is still drawing down the Soul to unlovely Ob∣jects, did more properly deserve the Name and Character of Death; which seems to be the result of wise deliberation, as well as fine thought and Fancy: For certainly Life, in a moral acceptation, do's not consist in breathing common Air, and having a flowing plenty of worldly Accomodations; but in knowledge and contemplation, in Divine and Rational exercises 'Tis certainly a great Disparage∣ment to the Dignity of Humane

Nature (which is fram'd so near a kin to the Angelical) to place the Essence of Life in the Enjoyment of Outward Things; and the Plea∣sure resulting from it is rather a Lethargy, than true Tranquility of Mind: He that has vital pow∣ers, and faculties, is potentially a∣live; but he alone is actually so who do's Nobly and agreeably exert 'em.

Pref. Health and Liberty are with∣out dispute, the greatest natural Bles∣sings Mankind is capable of enjoying.

The Health of the Rational Frame consists in acting•• conformably to the Dictates of right Reason: This the Philosophers called the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Intel∣lectual Harmony, Health and good disposition of the Soul of Man.

The Liberty of Man consists principally, in his being Free from Perturbations, or the Dominion of irregular and tumultuary Passions, and vitious Habits, that usurp the place of right Reason: In which

sense of Liberty, The Turks them∣selves, who are Lords and Masters, and live well and pleasantly (as he notes, Account pag. 241.) are no better than Vassals: And some of their Conquered Slaves (as he calls 'em) do at present enjoy a com∣fortable degree of Liberty. And the Popish Religion is not the only one, of all the Christian Sects, pro∣per to introduce and establish Slavery in a Nation, as he tells us, Account, pag. 235.

The Gentleman, under my pre∣sent care and inspection, talks, as if the condition of Men here below, were a kind of Epicurean State of Carnal Ease and Complacency: Christianity with its dark Train of Passive Doctrines, is a slavish and unintelligible Thing in his Esteem. Never was any fond man so blind an Admirer of his Mist∣ress's Charms and Perfections, as he is a lover of his Countrey's Legal Liberties, without any regard to the safety of Religion: Never did

good St. Augustin declaim with more vehemence against the salvability of the Heathens; than he has done against these Slavish Opinions suckt in at the Schools; and which some have been so unfortunate, to carry to their Graves; and (he might have added) to Heav'n.

He would fain make the wond∣ering World believe, That Passive Obedience and Legal Liberties, are inconsistent things; and that one is fatally destructive of the other: But that is his want of Judgment, and sound Understanding. St. Paul (who was undoubtedly as great an Assertor of Passive Obedi∣ence, as ever was in the World) pleaded such Liberties as these un∣der Nero, and before the Magist∣rates of Philippi: But he likewise knew, that Civil Rights can have only a Civil Defence; and if that fail, there is no higher Appeal, or Remedy to be expected, but the Divine Protection.

My business at present shall be to shew, That these Passive Doct∣rines (which he in an insulting and histrionical manner calls Slavish and Unintelligible) are a very Rea∣sonable Service; and this I shall make out,

First, With respect to God's So∣veraignty or Dominion over us: And,

Secondly, With respect to the pure Essential Goodness of his Nature, as it particularly exerts it self in our Afflictions. And,

First, With respect to his Sove∣raignty.

Now by God's Soveraignty, or Dominion over us, the Learned usually understand a Fundamental Right to dispose of all his Creatures, so far as 'tis consistent with the Rules of Justice, Goodness and Truth; for 'tis He that hath made us, and not we our selves; and in

Him we live, move, and have our Being. His over-ruling Providence was awake from all Eternity; be∣fore the World began, he neither slumber'd nor slept: But by his incomparable Wisdom, he contriv'd the Ranks and Order of every Be∣ing, and had before him the exact Idea, and Lineaments of all his Creatures: And when they after∣wards commenc't in time by virtue of his Pow'r; he gave them their li∣mits and agreeable Stations; he adorn'd them with Usefulness, Ele∣gancy, and due Proportion, and saw they were very good: Indeed the whole World was but one Sa∣cred Temple, till Man by his Sin and Sacriledge profan'd it: 'Twas founded by God's own immediate Arm, dedicated to his Great Name, are rais'd to his Glory; and tho a ridiculous Affectation hath tempt∣ed some to derive the management, as well as Original of it, from no higher Principle than that of Chance; yet God saw, in the bound∣less

Circuits of his Wisdom, That even in the proper Functions of its Nature, it was dependent on him, and therefore he resolv'd to preside over it; to supply it with a propor∣tionable Concurrence of his Might, and render his Name more venera∣ble and glorious in the conservati∣on and guidance of it. Hence he assumes the Character of the Great King, by the Mouth of his Holy Prophet; and illustrates his own Greatness to Job in the wonderful and astonishing Prospect of his Creatures. Hence Abraham calls him the Judge of all the Earth; and David summons the Sun, Moon, and Stars, nay the whole Creati∣on, to sing his Praises: Nay, the very Heathens themselves had such an awful Impression of his Ma∣jesty upon their hearts, that they durst scarce approach him with∣out a trembling Veneration; they acknowledged him to be the Su∣pream Lord and Governour of all the World, and accosted him with

all the high-strain'd Epithites of Ho∣nour and Jurisdiction.

And certainly, tho' Christianity has enrich't our Natures with many Noble Priviledges, yet it can∣not cancel the Obligation of a Creature: Tho' it has entitled us to a brighter participation of the Divine Image, yet it has not brought us to a looser dependance on him; and tho 'twas design'd to draw us nearer to God, yet it doe's not invite us to so bold an intimacy and freedom with him, as to dispute his Authority, or the Wisdom of his Dispensati∣ons. The very Angels above are subject to his Will, tho' with this glorious Advantage, that they can∣not Disobey: And 'tis a Law in∣terwoven in the constitution of Ra∣tional Beings, that, since they are capable of Moral Government, they should be govern'd by one that is infinitely more wise and pow'rful than themselves: But who can challenge this great Prerogative,

but the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? 'Tis he that is the imme∣diate Donor of our Beings; the great Proprietor of Heav'n and Earth, and all Right is fundamentally vested in himself: In his Hand is the Soul of every living thing, and the Breath of all Mankind: He dis∣appointeth the devices of the Crafty, so that their Hands cannot perform their Enterprize: He leadeth Coun∣cellors away spoil'd, and maketh the Judges fools. He leadeth Princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. When Alexander is design'd to be God's Vicegerent over the Na∣tions of the Earth, Darius shall not be saved by the multitude of an Host, nor delivered by his strength: And when Caesar is appointed and or∣dain'd by God, to be Lord and Master of the Roman World, the Gallant Pompey, that never shrank at the sight of Danger before, shall soon falter and tremble at the Head of his Army, and at length steal

away in a poor disguise, like a mean and infamous Coward.

What is the just Latitude or Extent of God's Dominion in re∣ference to mankind, has been va∣riously asserted by Men of bold and Speculative Inclinations; and some have been so officiously im∣pertinent, as to fly to the hid∣den determinations of Heaven, to make out this Mystery and amaz∣ing Riddle: But what proud Dust and Ashes are we, that we should thus grasp at Mysteries beyond our reach, and pry into those things, which none can see but he who is Invisible, which none can comprehend but he who is Incomprehensible? When we soar aloft into these Regions that are above us, we are bewildred and lost amidst Clouds and Darkness; we exceed the just bounds and Limits of our Creation, and gain nothing else but the Reproach of our own Folly: I shall there∣fore Industriously wave this kind

of procedure, and confine my self to those clearer Dispensations mention'd in Holy Writ; and which chiefly concern the condi∣tion of this present Life.

Now that God do's not Limit his Beneficence and Rewards to a∣ny Personal Performances, but sometimes Blesseth one Relative for another's sake, is abundantly E∣vident from the Benefits which he confered upon Abraham's Pos∣terity, as also from his willing∣ness to save Sinful Sodom for the sake of Ten Righteous Persons: And by equality of Reason he may punish one Relative upon the account of another's failance, the one being as consistent with the Rights of his Dominion, as the other with his Goodness. Thus David's Sin in numbering Israel and Judah, (or, as some would have it, in neg∣lecting to pay the Shekel) was severely punish't by three Days Pestilence, upon the chosen Men of Israel; and the Iniquity of Ahab,

tho pardon'd in himself, was to be punish't in his Children, as God himself pronounces to the Pro∣phet in these words; Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the Evil in his days, but in his Sons days will I bring the Evil upon his House. Now in such singular Incidencies, God doe's not so directly visit as a Judge, but makes use of his Soveraignty to advance the unquestionable Designs of his good Providence; and we are bound to be chearfully Passive and Resign'd, whether he is pleas'd to take away our Lives by Pesti∣lence, Famine, the Iron-hands of a Tyrant, or Sword of the Destroying Angel.

And hence I might proceed to make out the Justice of that Ori∣ginal Visitation, that defac'd and sullied the whole Scene of Na∣ture, and over-whelm'd all Man∣kind with Anxiety and Sadness. God made Man happy and upright

at first, and endow'd his Nature with all agreeable perfection; but he by his Non-attendance and Disobedience, did soon plunge himself in an Estate of Sin and Misery; and thus proud Man who was so Nobly Descended fell at Odds with his Maker, dis-rob'd himself of all his Original Glories, and shook the whole Universe by his Fall.

We read that the Wise-Men of the Eastern World were sadly concern'd at this unaccountable State of Things: You may hear the Platonist pouring out his Soul in Complaints and mournful strains; and telling strange Sto∣ries of some sins committed in a Former State. to make out the Mysterious Vanity of this Life: You may see Aristotle sitting down and weeping by the Water of Eu∣ripus lamenting the shortness of his Intellectual Sight, the disor∣der and dimness of his under∣standing: Nay, Solomon himself

the very Boast of Nature and Great Secretary of Heav'n) after he had seen and enjoy'd all the satisfactions of this life, in the little narrow compass of himself, con∣cludes at length with this pathetical Exclamation, All is Vanity.

This is now the condition of our Natures; this is our present Case: The Body has lost its Beauty and Gloss, and the bright∣ness of those Lineaments, which were at first drawn by the finger of God; the Soul is driven out of her former Paradise into a Region of Diseases, of Tempests and thick Darkness, and expos'd a Prey to all the wretched Calamities of a Mortal Life: And yet, far be it from Faln Man, to renew the Old Apostacy, and Quarrel with those Alotments which are plainly consist∣ent with the mildest Justice: God might have made Man the subject of many Temporal In∣flictions, without respect to an An∣tecedent Fall, and recompenc't all

this with the blessed Assurances of a Future State; and certainly, the Light of Nature may inform us, That since we are wholly subor∣dinate to another, we ought also to be accountable for every trans∣gression, accordingly as our Supe∣rior shall determine or think fit; who because he is holy, just, and good, neither can nor will inflict more upon us than what our Sins and Iniquities shall exact.

Secondly, That the Practice of these Passive Doctrines is a very reasonable Service, will yet more eminently appear, if we consider 'em with respect to the Divine Goodness, as it particularly exerts it's self in our Afflictions.

But here we meet with some, that have form'd very dark and dangerous Notions of the Deity which they adore; and, as if they meant to cut-vye even Lucifer himself, have accus'd their Maker of Pride

and Moroseness, and an evil Incli∣nation towards his Creatures. What Satan only suggested out of design, men have solemnly a∣avow'd, and ratified for sound Doctrine: And this was the first Engine which the Devil plaid a∣gainst the Happiness of Mankind: 'T was the Argument he used to our first Parents, to make 'em for∣feit their Estate of Primitive Per∣fection: He endeavour'd to tinct∣ure their Minds with an Opinion, that God was of an envious, un∣lovely Disposition, and that which was no where to be found but in himself, he fasten'd upon that Being, from whom all Goodness in the World is deriv'd: For God doe's know (says he) that in the day you eat thereof, ye shall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil.

From this fatal Entercourse and subsequent Fall, there were many Heathens (who had some Frag∣ments of Scripture communicated to 'em, or else understood some∣what

of the matter by the less faithful conveyance of Oral Tradi∣tion) that began to entertain ill Notions of God, thinking he had forbid 'em the Tree of Life, out of Pure malignity or ill intention: Hence they proceeded to tell very sad and ominous Tales of the en∣vious Temper of the Deity above them; his industrious care to dash all Prosperity with some sharp al∣lay, and overwhelm all Greatness with a swift Destruction. And indeed, it had been happy for the Christian World, if such barbarous Notions had kept their due distance on the other-side the Partition Wall, if they had been confin'd for ever to the Outer-Court of Gentilism. Men have been so forward to ad∣vance God's Soveraignty above his other Attributes, to oppose his Pro∣testation to his Design, and make his Revealed Will such a Mystery to his Creatures, that they seem solemnly to imply, That all the Divine Expostulations and Promi∣ses,

tho seconded with full Solem∣nity of Attestation, are intended only to promote the Credit of the Imposture, and advance the ends of Tyranny and Deceit: An Opi∣nion so Romantick, and big with Absurdity! that it represents the Almighty a Bugbear in a worse sense, than the Atheist ever in∣tended; and looks as if 'twere de∣sign'd to justify the Rebellion even of Lucifer himself; and proclaim to the World, that he fell in a good Old Cause.

In short, Love is the Gospel-Definition of the Divine Essence; and 'tis very plain, without any affected Jingle, or Ambiguity; and infallible true as any demon∣stration. If we take away his pow'r, he would be but a kind of Epicurean Deity; but take away his Goodness, and he would be no Deity at all: The Apostate An∣gels may partake of his Pow'r, but they cannot of his Goodness; and if it were lawful to reduce our

Conceptions of the Divine Essence to Figures and Proportions; we may justly presume (by a little al∣tering the Philosopher's Notion) that he would assume Light for his Vehicle, and Love for his very Soul. Every Act of God is a Com∣munication of his Beneficence; his most rigorous Justice is nothing else but a certain disposition, a pe∣culiar mode of his goodness; he corrects us only out of Love; he doe's not willingly afflict the Chil∣dren of Men.

Now that Afflictions are a sign and Character of Adoption, will readily and evidently appear; if we do but consider, that this has been the constant Portion of the greatest Favourites of Heav'n: The Holy Patriarchs spent all their days in sorrow, and in Travel; the Schools of the Prophets were so many Seminaries of Affliction: And it hath pleased God, by an uncontrollable display throughout all Periods and Ages, to render

the Sufferings of our Blessed Sa∣viour more illustrious than his Miracles, or all the Monuments of his Pow'r: The Crusified Jesus has been prefigur'd by a longer Ca∣talogue of Worthies, than the Tri∣umphant Redeemer; and he has had more Types of his Passion than of his Glory. The Greatness of man was too imaginary and frail to represent the Majesty of our Sa∣viour, and our degeneracy had ren∣der'd our Miseries so justly real, as to be weak and imperfect Em∣blems of his Sorrow.

Besides, it seem'd a necessary Pro∣vision, that some unfortunate Wor∣thies should rise up to his Cha∣racter, as near as Humanity could aspire, to reconcile his Tribulation to his Integrity, and recommend his Person to the acceptance of the World; and yet, alas! so great was the darkness of benighted Mankind at the Brightness of his rising, that they shut their Eyes against this Sun of Glory; among

all the Prophesies which he punctu∣ally fullfill'd; this one was too soon, and too fatally verified, He is despised and rejected of Men, a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.

His Birth-day was observ'd with no other Solemnity, than that of a Massacre; and his coming into the world was congratulated with a Conspiracy; and tho' Abrabam afar off rejoyced to see his day, yet his degenerate Off-spring did even scorn and deride it. Never was Majesty so rudely treated, nor Ver∣tue exercised with such contume∣lious disgraces; his unspotted In∣nocence did not so much endear, as exasperate the World against him; his Poverty of Spirit was improv'd into Ambition; and his Miracles courted their Incredulity in vain: And after all the base and inhu∣mane Affronts that were levelled against his person; after he had run through all the afflicting Stages of Poverty, Sorrow and Disgrace;

He stoop't to the dreadful forma∣lity of a Tryal, expected the fatal pleasure of his Enemies, and sub∣mitted at length to the most Illegal Sentence that ever came from the mouth of Blasphemy.

And next behold him hanging upon a Cross; behold a dying and a bleeding Saviour embalming cor∣ruption with the effusions of his dearest Blood! Behold the brightest Order & Immortality Prefac't with the wrack of Universal Nature, the Crucifixion of the Whole World! Those glorious Bodies whom David calls upon to praise the Lord, did then sympathize with his Agony and Passion. The Heaven's were dark∣en'd, the Earth gave up her Dead, and all things see••d shuffled into another Chaos to prepare the way for a new Creation. Thus did Christ suffer, and leave us an Example, that we should follow his steps: Thus did he adorn the Cross with his own Practice, and bequeath it to us as the distinguishing Character of

a True Disciple. This was his lot, and 'tis our Predestinated portion, for hereunto are we called; and who∣soever will list himself a true fol∣lower of him, must resolve to par∣take of that bitter Cup, whensoever Providence shall give him an A∣larm.

And that this is no slavish or un∣accountable Doctrin, will yet more abundantly appear, if we consider,

Secondly, The Natural Pow'r and Influence of Affliction upon the Soul.

Health, Liberty, Prosperity and much Ease, are dangerous and be∣witching things; and tho' they are lent us as a gentle Remedy a∣gainst anxiety and care, yet through our own ill management they often become a Charm, and the Antidote it self turns to a Disease: For since the World cannot so easi∣ly fubdue us by Threats and Hosti∣lity, by Assaults, and open Force, it immediately flies to all the Arts of Policy, to Stratagem and Re∣treat;

like a subtil Magitian, it pre∣sently turns its Rod into a Serpent; it dazzles our Senses with a delici∣ous prospect of its Counterfeit Glories, and so leads us in Golden Fetters to Destruction: For the World, like the Old Enemy of Man∣kind, doe's first deceive the Female Parties within us; it caresses each Lust and tender Passion with fair and specious Allurements, and when these have embraced & swallow'd the Golden Delusion, our Masculine Faculties are too soft and flexible to resist the pleasing Temptation, and proselyted Reason begins to hearken to the Dictates of our Senses.

And thus having at length en∣slav'd our Understandings, it begins to play the Tyrant over us, to en∣gross our Time, our Thoughts, and all our Actions. If we chance to be in a religious or thoughtful mood, the World soon turns it into Hippocrisy and Disguise; if we enter into Discourse about sa∣cred

Mysteries, it soon perverts it into Burlesque and wanton Talk; and when we would draw forth our honest intentions by the Rules of strict Morality, it brings 'em out in the Dialect of Friends, in Cru∣sings and bitter Calumny; when we are busy and employ'd about our necessary Callings, it instructs us in the quaint, and artificial Me∣thods of Knavery and Deceit; and when we retire from them for a sober Indulgence and Refreshment of our Natures, the World is ready at hand to overwhelm us with Luxury and Excess: Nay, if we enter into our Closets for the Exer∣cise of our Devotion, the World do's there likewise pursue us; it imprints its Image upon our very Hearts and Minds, challenges all our Thoughts and Attention, and so turns our lawful Prayers into Idolatry.

These Dangers of Prosperity have struck such an awe upon the Spi∣rits of Great Men in former Ages,

that they never consider'd 'em without trembling and astonish∣ment. Hence 'tis Recorded of ma∣ny Antient Hero's, that after some Signal Victories and Atchievments, they have grown pensive and me∣lancholly, and chang'd their August and sprightly Countenances, into a sad dejection and captivity of Spirit: And tho' some late Vertuosi have ascrib'd these effects to the Effluviums and Darts of some envi∣ous Eyes about 'em, yet I question not, but this will ever pass, among the thinking part of Mankind, for a very derogatory and ungrounded Fancy. It was not the Envy or the Frowns of Men, but fear of the just Anger of the Gods that made the Renowned Cato cry out in Livy, That the more he prosper'd, the more he grew afraid: And for the same reason Augustus Caesar once every year laid aside his Regalities, and receive'd Alms with all the humble Ceremony of a Beggar; he feared his long uninterrupted Prosperity, sus∣pected

the Anger of the Over-rul∣ing Deity, and therefore endea∣vour'd to divert his wrath by a Voluntary Humiliation.

And if we look into the Annals of the Christian Church, we shall meet with some, in the hot Interval of the Heathen Persecution, be∣wailing themselves that God not yet called them to the Glories of Tribulation, the Illustrious Toils of Martyrdom; and after this Pagan Storm was blown over, and the Church of God was adorn'd with honourable Endowments, we shall find many wise and venerable Bi∣shops climbing very heavily into the Episcopal Chair, and, when they were there plac't, as sadly lament∣ing the Danger of their Station; they look't upon such heights as a Temptation rather than a Duty, and more a Punishment than Pro∣motion.

And if we cast our eyes for∣ward, and observe the succeeding Centuries of the Church, we shall

be tempted to think, that this not∣ed suspition was no Panick Dread, but a very just and necessary cir∣cumspection; for as Tacitus has observ'd of the Roman Empire, that after its martial Humour was abat∣ed by Peace and a gentle Discip∣line, it became dispirited by Riots and intestine Factions; so may we plainly discern a most deplorable alteration in the State of Christiani∣ty, so soon as the Heathen Tyran∣ny was overpast.

While the First Christians were treated with Severities, their Lives were a genuine Transcript of their Profession; they convinc't the world with the best Argument of a Religi∣ous Conversation, insomuch that the Heathens submitted at length to a tame and a gentle Discipline; and Christianity appear'd a True Mystery of Godliness: But when, through the favour of a milder Pro∣vidence, it became the Imperial Profession; when it's Votaries were dismist from the Lectures of the Cross, and the Prevailing Council

of Afflictions; they quickly clos'd with the treacherous Sollicitations of Flesh and Blood, and flattering Vanities of the World.

And this was the immediate Doom of Christianity, so soon as the Pagan Tyranny was over-past; for then Christians themselves re∣nounc't all Obligations of Meek∣ness and Humility, and turn'd the former Glories of the Cross into the Scandal of Persecution; Their for∣mer Unity became broken and sub∣divided by the Pride of Arrians, Donatists, and Novatians; and those latter Ages were almost as remarkable for Ambition, Luxury, and a Tyrannical Zeal, as the for∣mer had been for an incomparable Piety, and victorious Martyrdoms.

So natural is it for Men to turn their Liberty into Vanity, by too high an Admiration of it; and to corrupt their Food by the Poyson of their own Natures: And when Men are become such Vassals to the World, such Votaries of Sense and Pleasure; they must also languish

in their Duty towards God, and fall off proportionably from the divine Assistance: For how can they listen to the call of Heav'n, amidst all this Pomp and Secular Dist∣raction, or bestow one Thought upon Futurity and Judgment?

But when at length some signal Calamity shall give the daring Sin∣ner an Alarm, when Afflictions, the Welcome Harbinger of God's Love, fall like a Dew up∣on him; This shews him the Vanity of his Carnal Ease and Secu∣rity, and opens a prospect into the Land of the Living: For the ap∣prehensions of a God, and of our Duty to him, are so essential to our Souls, and inseparable from our Natures; that tho' Men may seem to drown 'em for a while, they lye dissolv'd in delicacy and plea∣sure; yet the least touch of an∣guish will sometimes awaken us into severe Reflections, and dash all the Harmony of our Blood and Spirits. 'Tis is very pious Remark

of that Great Philosopher, whom wise Antiquity hath justly honour∣ed with the Title of Divine; That when a Man perceives, that he is just drawing towards his latter End, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. He is then seized with a doubtful Trembling, and an Enquiry into those things, which before he would scarce vouchsafe to think upon: And tho' he might once laugh at the Pious and grave Cheats of Immaterial Beings, and Immor∣tal Spirits; yet now the very Tales of Ghosts and Fayries will affright him; he will be ready to shrink at the least Shadow of Danger, and be terrified with the Visions of his own Imagination. Indeed 'tis an easy thing for a Man, in the lust∣ful Pride of his Nature, to seem Witty and Eloquent against Heav'n, and to out-face the Ferrors of the Invisible World; but when Pro∣vidence shall cast him out of his Beloved State of Bodily Health and Security, into a Bed of Sickness, or

the confinements of a Prison; when the cold Damps shall appale and allay the gaety of his Temper, and all his worldly Oracles stand mute, and cannot help him; Then he will think of his former Gallantry with reluctance and vexation; he will then experiment the Folly of his own choice; and no longer a∣dore the glittering Frailties of hu∣mane Wisdom, but Reason will be fwallow'd up in Revelation; he will then confess that every Crea∣ture is fearfully and wonderfully made; that every little Insect is a System of Divinity; and his eyes will be opened to spell out a Sove∣veraign Disposer of all Events in the Works of his own Creati∣on.

Such Considerations as these will be our Entertainment, when we lye under the Discipline of a severer Providence; when God in Mercy has befriended us with Afflictions, and covered us with Misery as with a Garment: For the Soul of Man

is active and restless, and must have some Object, whereupon to fix its Desires; and when it has nothing from without to employ it, it will no longer look abroad, but draw its Activity inwards; and then the Appeals of Reason will be heard, and the Cries of Wisdom will not be rejected.

Thirdly, That this Passive State is not a State of Slavery, but of A∣doption and Glorious Liberty, will be further evinc't, by considering the divine Supports and Succours that attend it. For since God has•• promised, That we shall not be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, he stands engaged, when the ordinary means of comfort do for∣sake us, to furnish out an extra∣ordinary Supply. And tho' this may seem an uncouth Paradox to the Animal Man, a very harsh in∣congruity to Flesh and Blood; yet it has been unquestionably made out by the Practice of the Apostles, and many illustrious Examples in

the Primitive Church. For there have been some, whose minds have been so fortified by Assistan∣ces of the Divine Spirit, that they could even smile in the Grim Face of Persecution; look down with∣out concern upon all the frightful Judicatories of the World, and like the Leviathan in Job, could laugh at the shaking of a Spear: Nay, there have been some, who when Persecution has rode in Triumph, have carried the Bible as a Monu∣ment to their Graves; when wall'd about with fire, they have hugg'd it in their Arms, while their pains grew rapture, and their burnings extacy: And when their Tongues were no longer able to form faint Sounds into Vocal Hymns, with lifted up Eyes, they have conti∣nued their Devotion, and offer'd Dumb Praises to the Saviour of the World.

And certainly 'tis a Sufficient Ground of Consolation to any generous Believer, when he consi∣ders

that Afflictions are not the Blind Product of a Random desti∣ny, but founded on the Basis of God's Decree or Permission: And when we are once fortified with this puissant consideration, that must needs be best for us, that is commissioned by the hand of a good and Gratious God; that he is the Sole Disposer of all E∣vents, and that he do's not stand by as an unconcern'd Spectator of the Mournful Scene of our suffer∣ings; that the miseries we under∣go are the reproach of Christ, and that they are far more Honourable before God, than they can be ignominious before the World; this must needs cause our Souls to bear up bravely against all the Scorn and Terrors of the World, against Natural Contradictions.

Lastly, if we can entertain a strong hope and assurance, that what we sow in sufferings we shall reap in Glory; that a violent Death do's but conduct us a lit∣tle

sooner to Heav'n, that a glo∣rious Martyrdom do's but Antedate Immortality; this is ravishment enough, to tempt us, like Cato, to be our own Executioners, did not God restrain us by his word, as an Angel did the Father of the Faithful: This is enough to make us cling to the Cross, to take Hea∣ven by a more than Ordinnry vio∣lence; to breath out our Souls in Eucharistical Strains, and return a Psalm of Thanksgiving for every Wound.

He that can thus consider things well about him, will be all peace and calm within himself, when circled around with Wars and Destruction: A Prison or a Dun∣geon will be no confinement to him; his Soul is still free to con∣verse with his Redeemer, while a good Conscience becomes his Se∣curity: Tho he hear the Voice of his Maker in the Clouds, yet he flies not the Adam behind a Tree; nor like the guilty Emperour, be∣neath

a Bed for Protection. He torments not himself with Jealou∣sies and Tears, and superstitious forebodings of Evils to come, but is industriously thankful for those blessings and mercies which at present he enjoys: He knows, that by the assistance of the Di∣vine Spirit he can turn a Dun∣geon into a House of Prayer; that Christ's presence will Consecrate the horrours of a Prison, and make Darkness it self Glorious: And if the Light of his Countenance do but shine in upon him, he shall be Happy, tho' in the midst of a Roman Furnace, or a Scottish Inquisition.

The Close.

THat perfect Happiness or Assimulation with God is the ultimate end of every Rational Being, is a Truth so obvious, that even the Light of Nature could dis∣cover it; and as 'tis the ultimate end of our Beings, and consequent∣ly our Duty; so is it likewise the insatiate desire of every Man, the common Thirst of our Natures: Hence it was, that the Renowned Plato did banish all absur'd and li∣centious Notions of the Immortal Gods out of his famous Republick, and admit no other Descriptions of the Deity, but such as were con∣sonant and agreeable to his nature, which he concludes to be pure and unalterable Goodness.

Now since 'tis the natural Am∣bition

of every Man to rise up to a Conformity with what he adores; such lovely and amiable Represen∣tations of God, must needs kindle a sweetness and benignity in our Tempers, and naturally tend to ad∣vance the Peace and Stability of the World: Especially, when we consider, that 'twas the great busi∣ness of our Blessed Saviour's com∣ing into the World, to consummate Peace betwixt Heav'n and Earth; to reconcile all Mankind to an in∣censed God, and by sweetning our Tempers by the infusions of Grace, to make us love one another The Law indeed, like a Typical Canaan, might seem to shadow out the brighter Discoveries of this new Dis∣pensation, but it did not enjoyn 'em in that universality of Extent, and eminency of Degree, which our bles∣sed Saviour has advanc't 'em: for what more astonishing than that dreadful frequency of cursing their Enemies under the Law, in the most

rigorous and solemn Forms of Exe∣cration? Whereas the Christian Religion allows no such Precedure against the most Capital Enemy: If he be a Celsus, a Porphyry, or a Julian, we must do good good un∣to him; but we seem to forget that we are Christians, if we go about to pray for his Destruction.

Bless and Curse not is the Motto of Christianity, the great and con∣quering Precept of the Gospel: 'Twas this that was the inof∣fensive Armour of a Primitive Christian; that gave a lustre even to Martyrdom it self; that kind∣led a Veneration, and an awful Dread in the Breast of the perse∣cuting Heathen: 'Twas this that softned the rudenesses of Ty∣rants, that captivated Rome's fly∣ing and triumphant Eagles, and made Arms and Empire truckle to Religion.

Again, this will help to guard us against the dangerous Rocks of Presumption and Despair; for e∣ven God's Goodness is mostly to be feared in a state of Impenitency, tho 'tis the only Refuge for the hum∣ble and repenting Sinner. His Wisdom (by which he compre∣hends the Ideas and mutual Re∣ferencies of all things) if seperat∣ed from this Attribute, might de∣generate into the extreamest Ty∣ranny and Imposture. His Holi∣ness speaks little comfort to our Souls, for he is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity. His Justice a∣lone must needs terrify and af∣fright us, for if he should be ex∣tream to mark what we do amiss, there's no Man can abide it. His Power without Goodness is the very Emphasis of Condemnation; for he is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell: But when we have his Love inter∣ceding

for us, all other Attributes, as they partake of this, will close in perfect Harmony for our Salva∣tion; his Justice will reward our mean Services and Endeavours for the sake of Christ's Merit, and his Soveraign Power for ever will protect us.

This will also secure us against all worldly Accidents and foreign Contingencies; render us undaunt∣ed in the midst of Dangers, steady and immoveable, tho all the world should be in an uproar against us: For when we are once environ'd with this gallant Consideration, That that is best which now is, since it comes from the hands of a wise and indulgent God; our Inclina∣tions and Desires will all be wrapt up in the divine Will, and we shall act with full freedom and appro∣bation of Mind, whensoever the fiercest Calamities shall assault us; like some departed Spirits caught up

to Paradise, we shall stand above the reach of Fortune, and the ma∣lice of the World; and our Souls will shine bright, unsullied and unmov'd above Clouds and Storms, like the Lamps of Heaven.

Thus much I have thought fit to Discourse, for the sake of the Author of the Account of DEN∣MARK; for I know no Man that has more need of a Sermon or Solemn Lecture than himself. If I have contributed any thing towards a better Settlement of his Head and Fancy, I have an abun∣dant Recompence. However, at least, I hope he will not take it unkindly at my hands, that I sup∣pose him not quite harden'd a∣gainst Conviction.

I have ever thought, and do persevere in my Opinion, That the Pride of the Animal Life, a too ardent Love of Riches and World∣ly

Honours (which are pretty glittering Bawbles indeed to please Children in Understanding) and a want of contemplating the glo∣ries of another Life, are the main Fundamental Objection and Argu∣ment against the Passive Doctrines, maintain'd by the genuine Sons of the Church of England: This fills Mens Hearts with coarse and sor∣did desires; and makes their Heads swell with the Wind of Fantastical Doctrines about Liberty, without a just restriction; Till at length the Distemper or Malignancy breaks out into a vain Out-cry against Ty∣ranny and Slavish Opinions. This makes Men play pragmatically with the Names of Princes and great Personages; and think it a fine thing to find out, and correct the Errors of their Superiors: 'Tis this has occasion'd the Heats and darling Contentions of the Age; which have almost chang'd the state of Christianity into a state of

War, and turn'd the World into a dreadful Theatre of Blood-shed and Confusion.

And now, since I have just men∣tion'd the Church of England, which is so much Carpt and Rail'd at, I will add thus much, that 'tis the purest Church throughout the whole Compass of Christendom, that I know of; That she maintains the nearest resemblance and conformi∣ty to true Primitive Christianity; and notwithstanding all the little Braveries, and vain contradictions of her despairing Enemies, does still retain her Antient Motto, I mean, Her unshaken Allegiance to her Prince: And therefore if God, out of a just and anger and Indignati∣on for our Offences, should suffer his Beloved to be carried into Capti∣vity, or laid waste by a Foreign or Domestick Power; Yet this shall be her Triumph in the midst of her Tribulations, That She was

never guilty of Idolatry or Super∣stition, Sacriledge or Rebellion; and that nothing else but those cry∣ing Abominations, which her Principles disclaim, have ruin'd and destroy'd Her. I desire to embrace her with an Apostolical warmth, and a Primitive Resolu∣tion, and may say unto Her, as our Saviour does to his Beloved in the Canticles, O my Dove that art in the Clefts of the Rock, in the secret places of the Stairs, let me see thy Countenance; let me hear thy Voice, for sweet is thy Voice, and thy Countenance Comly. O thou Lilly among Thorns! O Fairest among the Daugh∣ters! Let me enjoy thee Li∣ving; and when Death shall come, may I dye in thy Embraces, and breath out

my Soul in Amorous fits of Devotion: That Phaenix-like, being resin'd by Corruption, and kindling anew in the very Act of Extinction, I may mount aloft into the Bridegrooms Palace, and fly out of thy Arms into Abra∣ham's Bosom.

FINIS.